Important Words with Mnemonics: The Sound of Music | English Class 9 PDF Download

Part 1: Evelyn Glennie

1. Daunting
Meaning: Causing fear or intimidation.
Sentence: "Going to the Royal Academy of Music was a daunting task for Evelyn."
Mnemonic: "Don't-ing" — Don't try it, it's scary!
Daunting sounds like “don’t-ing” — you feel like you shouldn’t do it because it’s tough or scary.

2. Aspiring
Meaning: Having ambitions to achieve something.
Sentence: “She was an aspiring musician facing a bigger challenge than most.”
Mnemonic: "A spirit rising" = Aspiring
Aspiring sounds like “a spirit rising” — imagine someone’s hopes and dreams lifting them up.

3. Impaired
Meaning: Weakened or damaged.
Sentence: “Her hearing was severely impaired due to gradual nerve damage.”
Mnemonic: Impaired = I’m + Paired (with a problem)
→ Imagine being "paired" with a difficulty — something that holds you back or weakens a skill.

4. Conceal
Meaning: To hide or keep secret.
Sentence: “Evelyn managed to conceal her deafness from teachers and friends.”
Mnemonic: "Con + Seal = Seal it to hide it!"
Imagine sealing a box so no one can see what’s inside — you're concealing it.

5. Orchestral
Meaning: Relating to an orchestra.
Sentence: “She gave orchestral concerts around the world.”
Mnemonic:  Picture this: A grand stage filled with violins, flutes, drums, and a conductor.
→ If the music comes from many instruments at once — it’s orchestral.

6. Solo Performances
Meaning: Musical performances by a single artist.
Sentence: “She gave solo performances in hospitals and prisons.”
Mnemonic: Solo = “So + Low = So alone”
→ No group, no help — just one person performing.

7. Workaholic
Meaning: A person who works excessively hard.
Sentence: “Evelyn describes herself as a workaholic.”
Mnemonic: Workaholic = Work + Alcoholic
→ Just like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol, a workaholic is addicted to work.

8. Handicapped
Meaning: Having a disability.
Sentence: “Evelyn is a role model for the physically handicapped.”
Mnemonic: Handi + capped → Handi (ability) + capped (limited)
→ This reminds us it means ability that is limited in some way — but only in certain areas, not entirely.

9. Resonances
Meaning: Vibrations or echoes of sound.
Sentence: “She feels the music through resonances in her body.”
Mnemonic: Resonances = Re + Sound + Echoes
→ Think: Repeated sound or feeling that stays and “echoes” in the mind or space.

10. Effortlessly
Meaning: With ease, without struggle.
Sentence: “She communicates effortlessly with strong speech.”
Mnemonic: Effortlessly = Without Effort
→ Just break it: “Effort + less + ly” = In a way that needs less effort.

11. Tingles
Meaning: Light pricking sensation.
Sentence: “It tingles in my skin, my cheekbones and even my hair.”
Mnemonic:  Tingles = “Ting! Ting! Little goosebumps!”
→ Think of soft bell sounds on your skin — just like the feeling of tingles.

12. Flawlessly
Meaning: Without error.
Sentence: “She plays the instruments flawlessly.”
Mnemonic: “Flawlessly means like a pro — not a single slip!”
→ Easy to remember: it’s the way experts do things — smoothly and perfectly.

13. Lilt
Meaning: A pleasant rhythm in voice or music.
Sentence: “She speaks with a Scottish lilt.”
Mnemonic: Lilt = “Light + Lift”
→ A lilt is when the voice or music lifts and flows lightly — happy and musical.

14. Prestigious
Meaning: Respected and admired.
Sentence: “She got admitted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music.”
Mnemonic:  Prestigious sounds like “press + genius”
→ Imagine someone so brilliant they’re in the news — a press-covered genius = prestigious!

15. Triumph
Meaning: Great victory or success.
Sentence: “Her triumph proved that hearing loss wasn’t a limitation.”
Mnemonic: Triumph = “Try + U + Win!”
→ If you try hard, you get a triumph — a big success!

Part 2: Bismillah Khan

1. Auspicious
Meaning: Promising good fortune.
Sentence: “Shehnai became associated with auspicious occasions.”
Mnemonic: Auspicious = “Awe + Special + Us”
→ A special moment for us that feels full of luck and promise.

2. Indispensable
Meaning: Absolutely necessary.
Sentence: “Shehnai became indispensable in weddings.”
Mnemonic:  Indispensable sounds like “in-dis-pen” — you can’t even lose the pen because it’s that important!
→ Imagine a pen that’s so important, you guard it — it’s indispensable.

3. Ensembles
Meaning: Group of performers or things.
Sentence: “Shehnai was played in royal court ensembles.”
Mnemonic: Ensemble = “In + Symbol (Together)”
→ Think: All the parts (like instruments or people) join “in” one unit, like a symbol of teamwork.

4. Melodious
Meaning: Pleasant-sounding.
Sentence: “Shehnai produced soft, melodious sounds.”
Mnemonic: Melodious sounds like “melody + delicious”
→ Imagine a melody so sweet it feels like a tasty treat for your ears!

5. Maestro
Meaning: A great musician.
Sentence: “Bismillah Khan became a shehnai maestro.”
Mnemonic: Maestro = Master + pro
→ A maestro is a master professional, especially in music.

6. Coveted
Meaning: Highly desired.
Sentence: “Bismillah received the coveted Bharat Ratna.”
Mnemonic: Coveted = Cover it with desire!
→ Imagine people wanting it so badly, they all want to "cover" or grab it.

7. Celluloid
Meaning: Related to film.
Sentence: “He stayed away from celluloid glamour.”
Mnemonic:  Picture old black-and-white film reels spinning in a projector — that's the world of celluloid.

8. Replicating
Meaning: Copying or reproducing.
Sentence: “Others tried replicating his shehnai style.”
Mnemonic: Replicating sounds like “replaying” or “repeating”
→ Imagine hitting the replay button — that’s replicating an action.

9. Devout
Meaning: Deeply religious.
Sentence: “He was a devout Muslim who played in temples.”
Mnemonic: “Devout means deeply devoted.”
→ Easy to remember: both words start with "dev-" and relate to strong belief.

10. Prolonged
Meaning: Extended in time.
Sentence: “He died after a prolonged illness.”
Mnemonic: Prolonged = Pro + Long → In favor of making it long
→ If something is prolonged, it is made to last longer.

11. Acclaimed
Meaning: Highly praised.
Sentence: “He was internationally acclaimed.”
Mnemonic: Acclaimed = “A + claim + ed” → As if everyone claimed it was great!
→ If something is acclaimed, people openly say how good it is.

12. Transcend
Meaning: Go beyond limits.
Sentence: “His music transcended all borders.”
Mnemonic: Transcend = “Trans” (across/beyond) + “scend” (to climb)
→ So, to transcend means “to climb beyond.”

13. Affection
Meaning: A warm feeling of love.
Sentence: “He had great affection for Benaras.”
Mnemonic: Affection = "A + Feeling + Connection"
→ Think: a warm feeling that connects two people.

14. Heritage
Meaning: Traditions from the past.
Sentence: “His music reflected India’s rich heritage.”
Mnemonic:  Heritage = “Heir” + “-tage” → What an heir receives from the past
→ Just like an heir gets property, we all inherit traditions and culture — that’s heritage.